Floor-polisher.



P'ATENTED JULY 30, 1907. P. P. RICHARDS.

FLOOR POLISHER.

APPLIOATION FILED Dnc. 1e, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Fig 2 :FRANK P Rl CHARD E. :Bj /H PATENTEVD JULY 30, 1907.

' P. P. RICHARDS.

FLOOR POLISHER.

u'rmouron FILED 1320.16. 190s.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES FRANK P. RICHARDS, OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.

FLOOR-POLISHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 30, 1907.

Application filed December 16,1905. Serial No, 292,021.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK P. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Springfield, in the county of Sangamon and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Floor-Polishers, of which the following is such a full, clear, and exactdescription as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use my said invention.

My invention relates to machines of that class which are used to give asmooth and even finish and polish to wood floors.

The purposes of my invention are to provide a frame of light and rigidconstruction; to provide means enabling the operator seated on themachine, to propel the machine; to provide means for guiding themovement of the machine; to provide a grinding and polishing wheel ofimproved construction; to provide simple and effective means fordetachably connecting with the grinding wheel sand paper crocus cloth orother finishing or polishing material used on the grinding wheel; toprovide means for vertical adjustment of the grinding wheel and toprovide means for preventing accidental vertical displacement of thegrinding wheel.

With these ends in view my invention consists in the novel features ofconstruction and combinations of parts shown in the annexed drawings towhich reference is hereby made and hereinafter particularly describedand finally recited in the claim.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is an end elevation of the machine;Fig. 2 is a side elevation; Fig. 3 is a top plan of the machine; Fig. 4is an enlarged top plan of the grinding wheel; Fig. 5 is an enlargedbottom plan of the grinding wheel; Fig. 6 is a vertical section on theline G 6 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a top plan of the hand wheel and Fig. 8 isa horizontal section on the line 8, 8; of Fig. 2.

Similar reference letters designate like parts in the several views. A

The main structure which is preferably of bar iron consists of arectangular lower frame A an upper frame A1 (of substantially the formshown in Fig 3); uprights a connecting the frame A1 with the frame A andbraces al connecting the uprights with the frame A. A shaft B turns inbearings b on the frame A and has double cranks b1, Wheels B1 on whichthe rear part of the machine is supported are secured'on the shaft B. Astationary shaft B2 extends across the frame A, Pedals B oscillate onthe shaft B2 and the ends of the pedals are connected with the cranksb1. A bar A2 is secured on and extends lengthwise of the frame A1. Aseat A3 is connected with the bar A2 by a bolt a2 fitting in a slot a3in the seat. The seat may be adjusted on the bar A2 by loosening the nutof the bolt a? and then sliding the seat forward or rearward as may bedesired and then screwing down the nut to hold theseat in position.

A base plate D extends transversely across the front end of the frame A1and is secured thereon and has intcgral upwardly projecting standardshaving bearings d and d1 in which the horizontal shaft D1 turns and abearing cl2 in which the vertical shaft E turns. A fly wheel D2, asprocket wheel D3 and a beveled cog wheel D4 are secured on the shaftD1; A beveled cog pinion E1 meshes with and is driven by the cog wheelD4.

The shaft E has a longitudinal groove o in which a stationary pin on thepinion E1 [its so that the shaft will turn with the pinion and will alsomove up and down through the pinion. The grinding and polishing wheel Fis secured at the lower end of the shaft E as hereinafter explained. Theshaft E turns and slides in a bearing a4 secured on one of the uprightsa. The upper part of the shaft E is screw threaded and fits in a femalescrew in the hub of the hand wheel G, so that by turning the hand wheelto the right or left the shaft E may be raised or lowered as the casemay be. A vertical shaft H turns in a bearing in the plate D and abearing a5 on one of the uprights o. A yoke H1 is secured on the shaftH. A wheel H2 turns in the fork of the yoke H1. A lever H3 secured onthe shaft H extends downwardly in such position that the operator maymove the lever' to the right or left by placing his knee in the fork hat the lower end of the lever and may thereby turn the shaft II to guidethe movements of the machine as h'e may wish. A sprocket wheel K issecured on a shaft c which lturns in bearings on a stationary standardK1 on the frame A1. Cranks K2 are secured on a shaft c and served toturn the sprocket wheel. A sprocket chain K3 connects the wheel K withthe wheel D3. The chain K3 runs under a tightener K4.

The grinding and polishing wheel consists of a rectangular plate Fpreferably of wood and a steel disk F1 secured on the plate F by boltsf. (Figs. 4 and 6.) The plate F has a central hole through which thelower screw threaded part e1 passes and a central recess f1 adapted toaccommodate a nut and washer.

The lower surface of the plate Fl is serrated or cut in the form of arasp and asthe plate revolves the serrations or file teeth cut awayinequalities in the surface of the floor on which the disk is operated`In practice the floor is first surfaced by the teeth of the disk cuttingaway the raised parts of the floor and is afterwards finished with sandpaper mounted on the disk as hereinafter described and may be polishedin like man ner by a rubber of cloth or other suitable materialsubstituted for the sand paper and secured on the disk in the samemanner.

In the drawings (Figs. 5 and G) I have shown sand paper F3 secured onthe polishing wheel but it will be understood that buff-leather cloth orany other suitable linishing or polishing material may be substitutedfor the sand paper without departure from my invention.

The sand paper is secured on the polishing wheel by clamping plates F2as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 6. The plates F2 have downwardlyextending `flanges f3 and centrally extending members f4. Slots f2 inthe members f4 accommodate the lower part of the shaft E.

In assembling the parts the sand paper is placed around the disk andturned upward and inward and the plates F2 are then placed on top of thepaper and drawn tightly toward each other so that the iianges f 3 will,bear firmly on the paper. The member f4 of one plate over-laps thecorresponding member of the'other plate. The screw threaded part el ofthe shaft E extends downward through the slots f 2 in the members f 4. Awasher c3 and a nut e2 above the plates secure them firmly in position.In practice it is necessary to provide means for slightly raising orlowering the grinding wheel. This is accomplished by means which I willnow describe.

The wheel G fits on the upper screw threaded part of the shaft E. Theupper screw threaded part oi the shaft has longitudinal channels e4.(See Fig. 7.)

A latch Gr-1 oscillates on a suitable support on the wheel G and has afinger g which lits in the channels e'4k to prevent the turning of thewheel on the shafts. When the latch is disengaged the wheel may beturned to the right or the left to raise or lower the shaft and when theshaft is set at the desired height the finger g entering the nearestgroove e4 will lock the wheel against further turning. A caster wheel Kturns in a bracket K5 secured on the frame A and prevents tilting ot theframe.

In operating the machine the operator sits on the seat A3 and with hisieet operates the pedals B3 to propel the machine forward or rearwardand turns the machine to the right or left by placing his knee in thefork h of the lever H3 and moving the knee to the right or left to turnthe tiller shaft and cause the machine to travel to the right or left asthe case may be. Heturns the cranks K2 to drive the polishing wheel andadjusts the I polishing wheel vertically by turning the wheel G asalready described.

Having fully described my invention what- I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

In a door polisher, the combination of a main frame, propelling wheelsand a caster wheel supporting said main frame in a horizontal position,a revoluble vertical shaft mounted on the main frame, means for verticaladjustment of said vertical shaft, a horizontally rotative `grinding andpolishing wheel connected with said vertical shaft, a seat adjustablelongitudinally on the main frame, pedals operative by the feet of anoperator occupying the seat, said pedals being, connected to operatesaid propelling wheels, a crank shaft supported on the main frame andhaving cranks within the reach of the operator occupying said seat, ahorizontal shaft turning inbearings on said main frame, a sprocketwheel, a bevel cog wheel and a ily wheel on said horizontal shaft, abevel cog pinion on said vertical shaft and driven by the cog wheel onsaid horizontal shaft, a sprocket wheel on said crank shaft, a chainconnecting the sprocket wheel on said crank shaft with the sprocketwheel on said horizontal shaft, a vertically oscillative tiller shaftmounted on the main frame. a tiller` wheel mounted on said tiller shaft,a rearwardly extending lever connected with said tiller wheel and havinga fork adapted to accommodate the knee of the operator occupying theseat and operating the pedals; all so constructed and arranged that theoperator occupying the scat may with his yhands turn the crank actuatingthe grinding and polishing wheel, may with his hands operate the meansfor vertical adjustment of the grinding and polishingl wheel; may withhis feet operate the pedal to actuatc the propelling wheels and may withhis knee operate the lever' for turning the tiller shaft.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name at SpringfieldyIllinois this Sth day of November 1905.

FRANK P. RICHARDS.

Witnesses C. R. SPICER, MARGARET MCDONALD.

